Viewpoints

COLUMN: In schools, everyone not ‘OK’
Opinion, Viewpoints

COLUMN: In schools, everyone not ‘OK’

In 1969, Dr. Thomas Harris published a book titled, “I’m OK — You’re OK.” Quite simply in 2023, not everyone is OK. Many of our students, staff and other adults are not OK. Last week Dr. Nicholas Covino, president of William James College, presented on the mental health challenges that have resulted from or been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. And the message resonated. We had 40 participants — parents, teachers, leaders and counselors — who joined and shared stories of their learners who continue to struggle. Dr. Covino shared a statistic from the CDC that over 25% of adults report most days they feel so stressed they cannot function. That percentage skyrockets to 46% of adults under the age of 35. These are our parents and teachers. In April of 2022, the CDC reported 44% ...
ENDING THE STIGMA: Releasing emotion and reclaiming peace in turbulent times
Community resources, Local News, Top Stories, Viewpoints

ENDING THE STIGMA: Releasing emotion and reclaiming peace in turbulent times

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Mother’s Day, so it feels fitting to focus on women’s mental health this month — where we are and what we can do about it.  We are living in turbulent times and women’s mental health is suffering as a result.  Wendy Tamis Robbins, anxiety expert/author COURTESY PHOTO There is uncertainty in the economy, gun violence, an extreme political divide, dehumanizing directives and legislation in southern states, and the recent Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. And this is just in the U.S. We can’t help but also be affected by watching the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and women struggling in Iran and under Taliban rule in Afghanistan. These events have all contributed to a global mental health crisis that cont...
PLAYING THE GAME: The instincts of Lone Eagle
Opinion, Viewpoints

PLAYING THE GAME: The instincts of Lone Eagle

I had a number of imaginary worlds in my friendless grammar school years, but the Big Three were football, knighthood and Indians.  In all my worlds, I'm the hero, of course. I mean, what's the sense of creating a world-class world in the first place, if you're just going to be a waterboy or armor polisher once the cameras start rolling? Might's well lay on your back and count the cracks in the ceiling instead. In football, I'm Johnny Lujack, ace quarterback for Notre Dame back then. On the receiving end, Bill Swiacki, the slippery Columbia end who single handedly beat that legendary Army team with his outasight catches. I grab my football, stand at the foot of the back porch steps, throw a spiral straight up in the air, catch it. Next pass, couple yards farther from steps. ...
EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY: A book lover’s pledge
Opinion, Viewpoints, Views & Reviews, Virginia Buckingham

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY: A book lover’s pledge

How many books are in your “To Be Read” (TBR) pile? I decided to count mine the other day, after the piles — yes, piles — I’ve made have crowded me out at my desk, on my nightstand and on my overflowing bookshelves.  Why am I drawn to the books I’m drawn to? Why don’t I read all the ones I buy? And why don’t I read each new one before the next one is purchased? After all, I don’t buy a second cup of coffee (another obsession) before finishing my first. I do read a lot. But I don’t keep up with my purchases.   Before I confess to my actual TBR number, I decided to seek out Laura Cooper, the owner of the soon-to-be-open Saltwater Bookstore. (Let’s pause here and shout a collective “hooray”!) If anyone has insight into book buying, it’s the person who has to fill the she...
SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE: Vacation destinations included France, Disney
Marblehead Public Schools, Opinion, Viewpoints, Views & Reviews

SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE: Vacation destinations included France, Disney

Good people of Marblehead Public Schools: “Oh, the places you’ll go…” The title of that book from Dr. Seuss always resonates with me when we return from April vacation. In particular, this week I enjoyed visiting Brown and Glover and seeing our youngest learners writing about and sharing their experiences from the break. The depth and details kindergarteners and first-graders are able to express in writing underscore the value of these experiences — whether here in Marblehead, across the country and, in some cases, around the world. And, travel is not limited to pre-K to 3. Two of our high school groups — the French Club and Chorus — enjoyed content-based experiences to extend their learning over the vacation. Over April vacation, a group of 18 Marblehead High students and ...
EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY: Positively triggered
Opinion, Viewpoints, Virginia Buckingham

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY: Positively triggered

Google being “triggered” and content is served up about the psychological effect of being returned to a traumatic experience, a terrible inheritance for those with painful pasts. I recently had two experiences, though, which made me wonder why “triggering” is only associated with pain. Google “recalling happy memories” and the results include terms like “reminisce” which doesn’t come close to capturing what it feels like to revive a happy moment in the same way triggers revive trauma. To reminisce is what you do when those old Facebook posts pop up in your feed, evoking an “Awww” or “That was a great day” or “The kids were so little” or “I was so young.” Triggering is different, it’s visceral. A sound, a smell, a comment, a backdrop actually returning you to the moment before it became...
FOOD 101: Beware of the Ides of March
Culture, Life Style, Local News, Opinion, Top Stories, Viewpoints

FOOD 101: Beware of the Ides of March

The “Ides of March” falls on a Wednesday this year. That’s Shakespearean slang for the 15th. If you remember your high school Latin and literature classes, Julius Caesar ignored a warning to beware of the date. He was stabbed to death by his buddy Brutus and a bunch of Senate cohorts. Caesar’s fate has nothing to do with salad. It’s just a fun excuse to tuck into a great bowl of crunchy greens laced with garlic and anchovies. To be sure you have a handle on all the exciting supplemental information, try this quiz: 1. Caesar Salad is named for:    1. Julius Caesar    2. Caesar Chavez    3. Caesar Cardini 2. Caesar salad originated in:    1. Imperial Rome    2. California’s Salinas valle...
DOC IN A BOX: Cutting back on spam
Local News, Opinion, Viewpoints

DOC IN A BOX: Cutting back on spam

Anyone who has ever had their email inbox filled with spam knows how annoying it can be. Spam emails can not only be a nuisance, but can also put your personal information at risk. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to reduce the amount of spam you receive. First, you can report spam emails to your email provider. This will let your provider know which emails are spam, so they can apply filters to prevent more from getting through. You can also unsubscribe from any mailing lists you have inadvertently signed up to, HOWEVER, you should ONLY unsubscribe from legit sites! DO NOT UNSUBSCRIBE from something you do not recognize. Here’s an example: Most email programs also have the ability to filter out or block certain content. This is a great way to stop receiving spam emai...
TRANSPARENCY:  Honor Sunshine Week by requiring hybrid meeting access
Municipal Matters, Opinion, Viewpoints

TRANSPARENCY: Honor Sunshine Week by requiring hybrid meeting access

During the early months of COVID-19, governors in New England states issued executive orders allowing municipalities to meet online so long as the public could attend remotely. The democratic benefits of this arrangement quickly became evident. According to a public official quoted in a 2020 study, the changes “made it a lot easier for residents who have other things to do, to be heard. People with family obligations, elder care, or child-care issues.” The executive orders that prompted these changes, however, have long since expired. New England states have resorted to a patchwork of live streams, short-term remote meeting requirements and, in some cases, reverted back to pre-COVID policies and in-person meetings only. There’s a better way forward. Permanent changes need to be m...
LETTER: Re: Living within your budget….
Letters to the Editor, Local News, Opinion, Viewpoints

LETTER: Re: Living within your budget….

To the editor: I would like to echo concerns stated by Mr. Jack Buba in last week's letter (Feb. 22). Evidently, many town citizens (and administrators) need to be reminded that since 1995 the Marblehead Community Charter Public School (MCCPS) has been successfully operating on a fixed state-funding budget based on a per-pupil expense (PPE). For 28 years, 230 students per year, in fourth through eighth grades, have been receiving a first-class education without incurring deficits and/or overrides. How does that happen, and why isn't that possible for all our public school districts? The Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993 changed how the Commonwealth supported, administered and funded the education services of our public school students in local school districts. The fa...